Mate Fur Hire (Bears Fur Hire #3)(47)

“Where’s Link? Where are the Dawsons? Are they okay?”

“They’re fine, woman. The Dawsons are already back at the lodge and Link is a few minutes behind me. I just couldn’t wait to see you.” He cupped her cheek and thumbed away a tear. “Fuck, woman, it’s good to lay eyes on you.”

“In winter.”

Tobias’s lips collided with hers, and for the first time since she’d met him, there was no growl in his throat. There was no scent of fur or feeling of dominance. That was the con to the medicine—she refused to call it a cure anymore. She would miss his bear, and Tobias would struggle to be just a man in the winters. It would be hard on both of them, and they would feel incomplete until spring when he could stop taking the monthly injections and let his bear out again. But this right here—holding him and basking in his smile instead of mourning his hibernation—this was the pro. This made all of the work, frustration, sleepless nights, and worry worth it.

She bit his bottom lip gently, then gave him tiny smacking kisses all over his face as he chuckled deep in his throat. Then suddenly remembering how he’d left her, she reared back and punched him in the chest. He didn’t budge or wince. “You monster! You left me without a goodbye.”

“I wrote a note,” he said, ducking another pathetic blow.

She leveled him with a pissed-off look. “You should never do that again. Your goodbye note made me want to set all your belongings on fire.”

“Okay. I won’t do it ever again.”

“Swear!”

“I swear. Stop swingin’ at me, woman.” He gripped her little fist of fury in his oversize hand and looked her square in the eyes. “I swear.”

A forgiving smile cracked her face. “Lena and Elyse will be so happy. I made enough for all three of you Silver boys to last until April.”

Link pulled his snow machine next to Tobias’s and hopped off. “Are we telling them?” he asked in an excited voice.

“I don’t know,” Tobias drawled, settling Vera on her feet. “Maybe I should test it for a few weeks to see if it’ll hold.”

“Aw, come on, man!” Link said.

“Do you trust me?” she asked.

Without hesitation, Tobias said, “With my life.”

“I made sure to get it perfect before I sent those wolves out there after you, McBeefcake. It’ll hold.”

Tobias nodded slowly, his gaze locked on hers. “Let’s get Elyse and Lena on the radio. I won’t take you out to the homestead until this weather clears, but we can tell them what’s happening and get them preparing food for their mates. Ian and Jenner will wake up hungry.”

Inside Link’s cabin, Tobias radioed Elyse and told her to go to Lena’s house where he would call and talk to them at the same time. Elyse sounded panicked and asked over and over again why Tobias was awake.

“I’m not telling you anything until you’re with Lena.”

“Tobias, I’m running there right now. Call her! I’m going now!”

The radio went silent, and Tobias shot Vera a wide-eyed glance. “This will change everything. All the pain of separation…”

“I know.”

Link was pacing, scrubbing his hand down his face. “How long?”

“Lena’s cabin is a mile from Elyse’s.”

“The weather’s shitty!” Link said, panicked.

“They’re in a valley. It’s always better where the homestead is.”

“How long do you think?” Link asked again.

Vera hugged Link’s waist, and he stopped his pacing. “Soon, Link. Soon.”

The soft snarl stopped in his throat, and she smiled at Tobias’s baffled look. Now she had the same calming effect on Link that Elyse possessed.

“She’ll have Miki with her,” Link said low, his eyes blurring with a faraway look. She’ll be to the bend in the road by now, the one that gets bogged down and muddy in the spring. Fuck, I hope it’s not snowing as bad there.”

“It’s not,” Tobias reassured him.

“She’ll be running. Elyse sounded worried.” Link hugged Vera’s shoulders. “She’ll be so happy. She’ll be safe. Ian will keep her safe in the winters now.”

Sadness unfurled in her middle in heavy, inky tendrils. Link wasn’t concerned with her failure to fix him. He was happy because Elyse and Lena would be protected by their own mates during the winter now.

“Elyse will be past the spring now,” Link said low.

“If she’s running,” Tobias murmured.

“She is. Trust me, she is.”

The minutes stretched on for eternity, but Vera could tell when the boys thought Elyse was getting close to Lena’s cabin because Tobias gestured her over to him and hugged her to his chest. “You should tell them,” he whispered against her ear. “This is possible because of you.”

Vera whispered, “I want you to.” Tobias had been through so much and loved his family in ways they would never understand. This should come from him. It would mean more.

Tobias lifted the radio to his lips, his eyes on Link as he nodded once. He pushed the button. “Lena. You there?”

Static blasted through the line and then, “Yeah, I’m here. So is Elyse.”